New council strategy to promote health and wellbeing
Published on 05 April 2022
A draft Open Space and Physical Activity Strategy for Whanganui will go out to the community for consultation later this month, after it was presented to councillors today.
Whanganui District Council owns or administers more than 150 reserves, from premier parks to neighbourhood playgrounds, sportsgrounds and nature reserves, and the strategy will guide the future provision, management and development of these spaces and the activities that take place in them.
The council’s Strategy and Finance Committee today accepted the recommendation that the draft strategy be approved for public consultation, which will begin on Tuesday, 26 April 2022.
Councillors heard that a review of the current Parks and Open Spaces Strategy 2008 has been needed due to significant social, cultural, legislative and strategic changes. These changes include a growing district, changing demographics, urban development and changing sport and recreation trends.
Council policy manager Elise Broadbent says the new strategy is about creating vibrant open spaces that support holistic health and wellbeing by helping the community to be physically active and by protecting the natural environment.
A combination of stakeholder meetings, workshops with elected members, discussions with Tangata Whenua and community engagement, including a public survey last year, have helped with the development of the draft strategy.
“More than 350 people responded to a parks, reserves, walkways and activities survey which has provided first-hand information about the experiences, interests and needs of the community in relation to these spaces and the activities they support,” says Elise Broadbent. “Work on a more detailed action plan will follow the public consultation process and will be informed by community feedback.”
Mayor Hamish McDouall says as more people choose to make Whanganui home, it is important to plan how the council manages, enhances and extends Whanganui district’s open spaces and provide opportunities for sport, recreation and play.
“We want all these spaces and facilities to be safe and available to everyone to enjoy, to support people to be physically active, to play, to protect and preserve the natural environment and to enhance biodiversity.”
The draft strategy will be available for public consultation from Tuesday, 26 April on the council’s Have Your Say page
Information about the parks, reserves, walkways and activities survey can be found here.